On the more elegant handout buffets, besides the shapely cubes, free Welsh Rabbit started at four every afternoon, to lead the tired businessman in by the nose; or a smear of Canadian Snappy out of a pure white porcelain pot in the classy places, on a Bent’s water biscuit.

SANDWICHES AND SAVORY SNACKS

Next to nibbling cheese with crackers and appetizers, of which there is no end in sight, cheese sandwiches help us consume most of our country’s enormous output of Brick, Cheddar and Swiss.  To attempt to classify and describe all of these would be impossible, so we will content ourselves by picking a few of the cold and hot, the plain and the fancy, the familiar and the exotic.  Let’s use the alphabet to sum up the situation.

A Alpine Club Sandwich

Spread toasts with mayonnaise and fill with a thick slice of imported Emmentaler, well-mustarded and seasoned, and the usual club-sandwich toppings of thin slices of chicken or turkey, tomato, bacon and a lettuce leaf.

B Boston Beany, Open-face

Lightly butter a slice of Boston brown bread, cover it generously with hot baked beans and a thick layer of shredded Cheddar.  Top with bacon and put under a slow broiler until cheese melts and the bacon crisps.

C Cheeseburgers

Pat out some small seasoned hamburgers exceedingly thin and, using them instead of slices of bread, sandwich in a nice slice of American Cheddar well covered with mustard.  Crimp edges of the hamburgers all around to hold in the cheese when it melts and begins to run.  Toast under a brisk boiler and serve on soft, toasted sandwich buns.

D Deviled Rye

     Butter flat Swedish rye bread and heat quickly in hot oven.  Cool
     until crisp again.  Then spread thickly with cream cheese,
     bedeviled with catsup, paprika or pimiento.

E Egg, Open-faced

Saute minced small onion and small green pepper in 2 tablespoons of butter and make a sauce by cooking with a cup of canned tomatoes.  Season and reduce to about half.  Fry 4 eggs and put one in the center of each of 4 pieces of hot toast spread with the red sauce.  Sprinkle each generously with grated Cheddar, broil until melted and serve with crisp bacon.

F French-fried Swiss

Simply make a sandwich with a noble slice of imported Gruyere, soak it in beaten egg and milk and fry slowly till cheese melts and the sandwich is nicely browned.  This is a specialty of Franche-Comte.

G Grilled Chicken-Ham-Cheddar

Cut crusts from 2 slices of white bread and butter them on both sides.  Make a sandwich of these with 1 slice cooked chicken, 1/2 slice sharp Cheddar cheese, and a sprinkling of minced ham.  Fasten tight with toothpicks, cut in half and dip thoroughly in a mixture of egg and milk.  Grill golden on both sides and serve with lengthwise slices of dill pickle.

H He-man Sandwich, Open-faced